Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups high-quality vanilla ice cream
- 1 cup cold eggnog (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of ground nutmeg (plus more for garnish)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ ounce dark spiced rum or brandy (optional, can use 1 ounce for stronger flavor)
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients. Make sure your eggnog is cold straight from the refrigerator. Cold ingredients create a thicker, more luxurious milkshake texture.
- Add eggnog and milk to the blender. Pour 1 cup of eggnog and 2 cups of whole milk into your blender first. This creates the liquid base for blending.
- Add the ice cream. Scoop 2 cups of vanilla ice cream directly into the blender. Don’t pre-soften it—you want it cold and firm for maximum creaminess.
- Add vanilla extract and spices. Pour in ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, then add a generous pinch of nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. These spices are essential for that authentic eggnog flavor.
- Add spirits (if using). If you’re making the adult version, add ½ ounce of dark spiced rum or brandy. Start with this amount and taste-test before adding more—you can always add more rum, but you can’t take it out.
- Blend until smooth. Blend on high speed for about 60-90 seconds until completely smooth and creamy. You should see no chunks of ice cream remaining. The mixture should be thick but pourable.
- Taste and adjust. Pour a small amount into a glass and taste it. If you want more eggnog flavor, add a splash of additional eggnog. If you want it sweeter, add a touch more vanilla. If you want more spice, sprinkle in a bit more cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Pour into serving glasses. Divide evenly between two large glasses. The shake should have a thick, luxurious consistency.
- Garnish and serve immediately. Top each shake with a light dusting of fresh nutmeg and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve with a thick straw immediately for the best texture.
Notes
- Make it extra thick: Use less milk (reduce to 1.5 cups) and add an extra scoop of ice cream for an almost dessert-like consistency.
- Make it drinkable: Add an extra ½ cup of milk if you prefer a thinner, more milkshake-like consistency that’s easier to drink.
- Prep ahead: Blend everything except the spirits up to 1 hour ahead. Keep refrigerated. Blend once more before serving, or stir vigorously with a spoon.
- Batch recipe: This recipe easily doubles, triples, or quadruples for parties. Simply multiply all ingredients accordingly.
- Alcohol note: The alcohol is completely optional. This tastes wonderful without it, making it perfect for kids and non-drinkers.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert & Beverages
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 shake (16 oz)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 48g
- Sodium: 165mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 95mg